Brothel owner talks of strip club

Deviations manager Warwick Bumstead with the gnome given to the brothel as a welcome gift by a group of city women. Mr Bumstead has joked he would like to see the gnome find a mate to keep him company.Kevin Farmer

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THE owner of Toowoomba's only legal brothel wants to open a strip club and lap-dancing parlour in the Garden City.

Jim Welch, who owns Deviations, has shocked a Toowoomba women's group by saying Toowoomba would be an ideal place to open a strip club style venue.

Due to Queensland's prostitution licensing laws, however, Mr Welch said he could not personally open the club because he could not own a licensed brothel and a liquor licence at the same time.

“But I think there is a great opportunity for someone who wants to spice up Toowoomba and have a go,” he said.

Mr Welch is no stranger to controversy in the city.

It was one year ago this weekend that he successfully opened Deviations despite opposition to his plan.

There was a highly emotional campaign from some city church groups who opposed its opening and hundreds of people voiced their anger during several public protests.

In the end, however, the protestors were powerless to block the application.

They were angry that State Government legislation prevented Toowoomba Regional Council from rejecting the proposal.

There was further anger when Mr Welch held an “open day” at the site in September last year.

But Mr Welch said all that tension was in the past and the 12 months that had followed had passed without controversy.

The premises has been heavily scrutinised by the Prostitution Licensing Authority, which conducts planned and random checks at all Queensland brothels to ensure management and staff are in compliance with laws.

Time has not changed the belief of Letitia Shelton — the woman who spearheaded the campaign against Deviations.

The Toowoomba City Women group co-ordinator said she had not given up on a fight against the establishment and said she would continue to search for avenues to close the business.

“We still think a brothel is not something that's good for our city,” Miss Shelton said.

“It doesn't add value to women and all research tells us it destroys families and lives.”

Miss Shelton said the group would strongly oppose plans from any business person with the intention of opening a strip club in Toowoomba.

“We're here to make Toowoomba a better place for women and girls and a brothel doesn't do that and a strip club wouldn't either.”